You have heard me rant about Mark Twain and his infamous quote that the game of golf is "a good walk wasted" and I won't go into that again...(although just thinking about it gets my Irish up!). I thought it would be a good way to launch this week's adventure, the Waste Management Phoenix Open. I return to the very first event in my security career and re don the purple and khaki of the original company I worked for back in 2009. The first year I spent 88 hours in the parking lot checking parking passes and directing traffic and didn't see one golf shot. But I did have a blast meeting celebrities and getting to know the Thunderbirds...(they are the group that runs the tournament and charitable activities). Each year after that I was on the golf course walking with the golfers and doing player security.
The TPC Scottsdale is a beautiful golf course and this tournament is one of the most unique on the PGA Tour. This is the only tournament I know of where the crowd is so involved in the action on one hole. The 16th hole at the TPC is built like a football stadium. The hole is a par 3 with stands and corporate sky boxes totally surrounding the hole. The players (and I) enter through a tunnel under the stands and proceed to the tee box with usually a thunderous ovation...(depending on who is in the group). If the player hits the green he is wildly applauded (even louder if he hits it close), but if he misses the green a chorus of boos ring out and that is the uniqueness of this tournament. The players all talk about 16 and some actually look forward to it, playing with the crowd and amping them up. No other tournament allows such crowd behavior and every time I walk into that "arena", the hairs on the back of my neck stand up (and I don't have any hairs on the back of my neck), and that is why they have called this tournament the "greatest show on grass". It is a total party atmosphere with a golf tournament thrown in to have something to watch.
This is probably my final Phoenix Open...(unless my other company bids and gets it). My duties at Company #1 (formerly company #2) have increased again. I approached the branch manager about redefining my role in the company. I told him that I didn't mind working the weekends but I would like to have the same days off each week. We agreed on Wednesday and Thursday which is perfect for me. I will still get additional days off when we are slow and if a big event is scheduled I will work, but at least I have days to schedule other things now... (doctor, car and of course, golf). I got permission to work for company #2 (formerly company #1) this week, but with my new position it will be hard to do it again next year. I could always take a vacation week and still work it, but I'll ask anyway. No need to rock the boat. So, this week I will be outside, walking around a manicured golf course in 70+ degree weather...(0% chance of rain all week). Don't feel too sorry for me, okay?
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